The motherland. Absolutely ridiculous food, absolutely everything made from scratch. They have a butcher shop across the street that dry ages beef, makes every type of charcuterie by hand, and bakes their own absolutely-top-quality bread. Organic, Fresh, Local everything. Great oysters, Great seafood, I could go on and on and on. If they ever have the duck hearts when you're there, GET THEM.

Beerwise, holy sh*t. They have everything from tiny belgian breweries to cantillon (basically all the time) to the best american craft. Every server has at least level 1 cicerone certification, and you can order a bunch of food then say "please pair these for me." Never ever been disappointed when I went here, ever. Worth at least a 2 hour drive.

The Publican seems to be housed in a warehouse district near downtown Chicago, but for all the authentically rustic character of the neighborhood, the place is a polished gem. The decor is expansive and distinct; a group seating arrangement of long banquet tables is given a modicum of indivual privacy by virtue of the very high backs on the chairs; this particular design element is stunning. Cocktail tables are placed in the center of the space and serve as the bar. Individual tables are cozily arranged in a novel box-seating array. Even the bathrooms are gorgeous. Aside from the design and decor, the beer list is phenomenal, if pricy. The house-made Lambic, "Lambic Doux," is ridiculously delicious; as was the bottle of 100% BA Coton me and Alex drank. The servers are quite knowledgeable. And the oysters were among the best I have ever had. I ate nearly two dozen, a la carte. I will daydream about the Publican until I can return.

The Publican offers rustic food raised to a new level of elegance and it is perfectly matched for their marvelous beer selection. The beer list covers three columns over one side of a tabloid size sheet. The 12 tap draft list mixes interesting local and regional craft brews with some imported selections I have not seen on tap anywhere else. The bottled list includes top Chicago and American craft beers, a handful of selections from Germany, the UK, Sweden and France and then a column of Belgian selections. My only complaint - inside when the place is full it can get so loud you can barely talk to the person sitting next to you. The food and drink are great!

This is the best "gastro pub" in Chicago if not the world. They have an incredible selection of meats and organ meats, and all are prepared, cooked, and served masterfully. The sweet breads is my personal favorite. Unreal.

Then there's the beer list. They've got hundreds of craft brews available including many on tap. You can even order hard to find brews like Goose Island Rare Bourbon County Stout and Founder's Breakfast Stout--of course you have to pay a heavy price for beers like that, like $45 for a bottle for example.

My only beef with this place is that I don't really care for the atmosphere. It sort of feels like a cafeteria due to the high ceilings, open rectangular room, and long bench tables. I know that's what they're going for, but it makes the place a bit loud and crowded feeling. This place would be even better if it felt more like a tavern.

This place is outstanding. It has a great combination of outstanding beer list, menu and bourbon line-up.

When I went there were probably 30 different beer selections including a one off collaboration with Three Floyds and their own lambic. If you can't find something to like you aren't looking hard enough.

The food is served small plate style so you can try some different options and all of the options were outstanding. Prepared perfectly and each delectable. Definitely try the charcuterie option.

The bourbon selection included all vintages of PvW so you know you can get a treat. They were pricey, but for a special occassion splurge.

The service is impeccable and you will not wait or want for anything.

Definitely make this a stop if you are visiting or live in the Chicago area, you will not be disappointed.

I was visiting Chicago and I figured I had to try this place after looking at the menu and the beer list. If you are into interesting foods, you have to give this a try. All food is shared among the tables. My table had things such as sweet breads and lamb brains. There are things that are closer to "normal" too on their menu, but other than the spicy greens, I didn't try any of it.

The beer list was also great. They had a good selection of beer from the mid-west as well as plenty from around the US and international.

I would recommend making reservations well in advance. I called on Friday as soon as it opened for reservations for that night and they were booked solid. They said they were booked solid on Saturday too. I was told that since my group was only 3 people, we could probably get fit in somewhere if we were willing to hang out at the bar first. With the beer list there, that wasn't an issue, though we did get our table before we finished our first round.

If I lived in Chicago I would be a regular. Everything was a bit pricey, but...really well done! Interesting wine/beer list, fantastic menu, with food that didn't disapoint. Our server knew the menu and beers, and was friendly.I think a couple of visits would help to know the menu, leading to economical choices. What I mean is, some dishes, while delicious, were tiny, while others were generous. I would reccomend avoiding dishes with expensive ingredients, and trying the more humble offerings. Incredible flavor was coaxed from pork country ribs, and chicken, for instance, and the fries that were served under the chicken were the best I have ever, ever, had...fried in lard.

Visited with my girlfriend for our 4th anniversary dinner in July 2011.

VIBE: pristine and modern decor with beautiful lighting and a comfortable, medium-sized bar. An L-shaped communal table occupies the middle of the restaurant with two-seater "horse stall" booths off to the left and assorted tables adjacent to the patio. Crowd is upscale yuppy and all of the staff wear uniforms. We enjoyed marveling at the breathtaking ambience of this high-end American eatery while eating our meal.

SERVICE: we received impeccable treatment from a young and knowledgeable waiter. He briefly described every single dish on the menu, including portion sizes, and was quite helpful with his recommendations. At one point he brought a plate to the table that we didn't ask for (he thought we did), but he quickly assured us that we wouldn't be charged for it and he apologized for the mistake. I left a 25% tip because we were so thoroughly impressed with the service.

SELECTION: the draught lineup was chock-full of rarities such as Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier, Porterhouse Wrasslers XXXX Stout, and The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel. Throughout our four course dinner, I had a Three Floyds Apocalypse Cow DIPA, Lagunitas Zephyr, and Mikkeller Draft Bear on tap and a Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster DIPA out of the bottle. These beers were among the best that I sampled on our trip to Chicago, and they nicely complimented the hearty food. Much to my relief, the lady loved the wine that she ordered.

FOOD: unbelievable cuisine for surprisingly good prices. We split the Three Hams plate, Market Salad, a delicious fish entree, and a chocolate meringue pie for dessert. All four dishes tasted phenomenal with immaculate presentation. Truly superb fare.

OVERALL: I'm glad we chose this spot for our special occasion. We had a lovely time here and will definitely return in the future. The Publican is an exemplary model of sophisticated dining matched with fine beer, and I highly recommend it to beer geeks and foodies alike.